Eileen Guppy

Eileen Guppy MBE (24 May 1903 – 8 March 1980) was the first woman to be a geologist in Geological Survey of Great Britain and was the first female staff member to become a member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). She not only became an employee but based on her 39 years of service she was the first member of the OBE. ^[1]

Publications

Guppy was not only known for her broad strides in paving the way for female geologists, but she was also published. She published two editions of Chemical analysis of Igneous Rocks, Metamorphic Rocks and Minerals during 1931 and in 1956. Her book Rock Wool was published in 1945 and a second edition came out in 1949. As well, Guppy had released her field work in 1924 under the title of A Composite Dyke from Eastern Iceland, which she formed, while partnered with the geologist Leonard Hawkes. She was then given a position as assistant geologist during World War Two. After the war, she worked as a senior experimental officer.^[2]

Role with BGS, career, and accomplishments

Eileen Mary Guppy was the first female geology student (Graduated at Bedford College, London) to be appointed to the scientific staff at BGS. She spent many years working in roles subordinate to a senior all-male staff. In 1943, Guppy was promoted to the rank of assistant geologist, therefore, Guppy had become the first female geology graduate to be reputed as an actual scientist due to her long work for the survey at Bedford College, London. After World War Two, she was demoted from her position, and had elected to work as a scientific assistant to the Directors Sir William Pugh and Sir James Stubblefield at a Senior Experimental Officer Grade. She did so because it had been deemed that she had already fulfilled her duties in the duration of the war. Guppy later became a secretary for the new atomic energy division, and finally worked with the inspectors for the public record office in the years of 1963 to 1965. Upon her retirement, Guppy was awarded with the MBE for her loyalty in 1966. ^[3]

A Composite Dyke from Eastern Iceland

Guppy, as well as her scientific partner, Leonard Hawkes, composed a case study on the composite dykes of eastern Iceland in the year of 1924. Although Hawkes conducted the field work himself, Guppy played a crucial role in assisting and cooperating with deciphering the commonly occurring composite dykes in the tertiary plateau-basalt series of the respective area studied. The overruling findings are as follows: the exposed dyke is seen to be composed of basic and acidic rocks, as well as seven members- the dolerites alternating in the quartz-porphyries. The studied dyke is exposed in cliff-section, which is 2400 feet in vertical height at Hokulvikurgil, Breithdal. Guppy and Hawkes were also able to correctively decipher the sequence of intrusions in the composite dyke. As well, analysis of the origin of quartz and felspar-xenocrysts in the dolerites were made, and in addition, the origins of the basic inclusions in the acidic rocks. ^[4]

References